Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

      11 July 2025

      Get your ID delivered like pizza – home affairs’ latest digital shake-up

      11 July 2025

      EFF vows to stop Starlink from launching in South Africa

      11 July 2025

      Apple plans product blitz to reignite growth

      11 July 2025

      Nissan doubles down on South Africa despite plant uncertainty

      11 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Cell C, Facebook to launch free Internet in SA

    Cell C, Facebook to launch free Internet in SA

    By Duncan McLeod24 June 2015
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    facebook-640

    Facebook will soon introduce Internet.org, its free Internet service for users in emerging markets, in South Africa in partnership with mobile operator Cell C.

    The social network has already launched the offering in a range of other African countries, including Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana.

    Cell C says its partnership with Facebook builds on its strategy of embracing so-called over-the-top players. It already provides free access to instant messaging service WhatsApp.

    From 1 July, Facebook usage on Cell C’s network will be free to all existing and new post-paid, top-up and prepaid customers. This will continue for a promotional period of two months.

    “Customers will be able to use Facebook Messenger, post comments and pictures, view and share posts and pictures, and view news feeds and profiles at no charge,” the operator said.

    From 1 September for a period of 12 months, customers who want to continue getting free access to Facebook and Messenger will be able to do so by accessing Facebook through the Internet.org application (available in the Google Play Store).

    During the 12-month period, all the sites available through Internet.org on the Cell C network will remain free when accessing links through the application.

    Other sites that will be zero rated include:

    • Education: BeSmart, LoveWords, FunDza, Scholars4Dev, Wattpad, WorldReader, D-Siders
    • Finance and jobs: Careers24, DAI, SmartBusiness, Money Matters
    • Health: Health24, BabyCentre and MAMA, HIV360, Unicef Facts for Life
    • Information: Bing, Cell C, WikiHow, Wikipedia
    • Marketplaces: Gumtree, OLX
    • News: BBC News, News24, SuperSport
    • Women: Intel She Will Connect, Girl Effect, iLearn

    Viewing and posting pictures, as well as, breakout Internet browsing, voice-over-Internet protocol calling, Facebook videos, YouTube and Instagram will be charged at standard data rates or will deplete data bundles where available. Customers will also have the option to buy Cell C data bundles while on Facebook or Internet.org.

    The idea for Internet.org was originally unveiled in August 2013 when Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg penned a 10-page white paper outlining his vision from the project.

    Internet.org has not been well received everywhere. In India, the project has come in for intense criticism for allegedly violating the principle of network neutrality in that it creates a walled garden of websites and favours Facebook’s own services over its rivals.  – © 2015 NewsCentral Media



    Cell C Facebook Facebook Internet.org Internet.org Mark Zuckerberg
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous Article‘Everyone loves Naspers’
    Next Article Uber sees explosive growth in SA

    Related Posts

    Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

    11 July 2025

    What Steve Jobs feared is now the tech industry’s reality

    9 July 2025

    Listed: All the MVNOs in South Africa – 2025 edition

    19 June 2025
    Company News

    $125-trillion traded: Binance redefines global finance in just eight years

    11 July 2025

    NEC XON welcomes HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks

    11 July 2025

    LTE Cat 1 vs Cat 1 bis – what’s the difference?

    11 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.